As a general rule, the interactive or tactile screens offered in known aircraft or aircraft on the market do not offer complete and satisfactory tactile interaction for managing revisions of the flight management system (FMS).
On aircraft of the A320, A330, A340, B737/747 generation, human-machine interaction is generally effected by means of a display screen that is not interactive and using an alphanumeric keypad on a multipurpose control display unit (MCDU) interface. This method is irksome and lacks precision. On more recent aircraft (A380, A350, B777, B787) and on business aircraft (Falcon, for example), pointing devices have been introduced but the associated interaction remains laborious and limited.
On a few even more recent aircraft or helicopters, interactive or tactile screens enable the pilot to define or modify the flight paths. The techniques employed remain limited and poorly ergonomic, however (where appropriate the modifications are indirect, for example). The pilot must “juggle” a plurality of entry means to effect a modification of the flight plan. For example, the pilot must enter angle values iteratively until there is convergence toward the required result. This manipulation is irksome.
In a few known tactile systems, the pilot can determine a point on the screen by tactile means, which operation opens a dialogue box making it possible to choose a revision, but the pilot must then insert alphanumeric parameters corresponding to the revision in question via a keypad, i.e. another entry peripheral. Other known systems necessitate the use of two separate screens.
In itself, the repetition of irksome operations can lead to cognitive overloading of the pilot, causing fatigue and therefore compromising flight safety. In some situations the lack of flexibility of existing systems can go as far as discouraging making changes to flight paths. In reality, in these known systems, tactile interaction is at present used only as a substitute for interaction via the cursor or the mouse. Rich tactile interaction specific to avionics has not yet been documented or implemented.
Patent application U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,335 entitled “GRAPHIC AIRWAYS DISPLAY FOR FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” discloses a system of graphic construction of the flight plan on the Navigation Display that aims to avoid entry of alphanumeric fields. In particular, the document teaches the use of a CCD or “on-screen marker” device to select elements from a navigation database. This approach has limitations.
There exists in the industry a requirement for methods and systems for advanced tactile interfaces specific to avionics.